TreksandTrails invites you to come trek to Rajgad fort, as the name suggest “King of forts”. It is to the south-west 40 Kms from Pune. It boasts the highest number of days stayed by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on any fort. He spent almost 25 – 30 years approx. Rajgad is famous for its construction. The fort can be divided into four different parts based on geographical terrain and fortification. There are the three sub-plateaux (Machee) namely Padmavati Machee, Suvela Machee and Sanjevani Machee, and at the centre is the Ballekilla. Padmavati Machee (north end): This machee is the site of Padmavati Temple, Padmavati Lake, Chor Darwaja, Pali Darwaja, Gunjavane Darwaja, Daru Kothar (storage of arms and ammunition), Diwankhana, Rajwada (ruins), Ghod Tale (Horse Lake), Sadar (office) and Dhalkathi (flag hoisting place). Summary: Type: Hill Fort Height: 4182 feet Grade: Medium Endurance: Medium Cost: Rs 2200.00 Base Village: Gunjavne Trek Leader: Mahadeo More about Rajgad Sanjeevani Machee (southwest/west end): This huge, beautiful and royally constructed machee faces west and has a three-stepped (layered) fortified structure. Each of the lower levels is separated from the higher one by a fortified bastion with a gate that could be defended independently. The lowest level is beautifully fortified by double curtain walls (chilkhathi) separated by a deep trench, on average 12 feet across. One can walk between these walls. The outer wall has openings to let soldiers out for sudden attack. Suvela Machee (south east): This is another grand machee facing east with lots of secret routes and doorways. This one is a double-stepped fortified machee with the steps separated by a beautiful bastioned doorway. At the end of first step a hole cuts across the rock; one can sit in this hole (nedhe). The final (lowest) step like Sanjeevani Machee has a double curtain wall. To the south side of this machee one can see a beautiful triangular bastion called Kaleswari buruz having an esc… Read more